Comelec, security chiefs named

MANILA, Philippines — Former elections commissioner George Erwin Garcia has been appointed chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

President Marcos also appointed Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro as chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as the new head of the Philippine National Police (PNP), and long-time assistant director Medardo de Lemos as the director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the appointment of Garcia, Marcos’ former lawyer, was dated July 22. Garcia’s term of office is until Feb. 2, 2029.

Garcia assured the public that he “will remain impartial and independent as a Comelec chairman. The will of the people will be the Supreme law.”

“I am humbled and thankful for the trust and confidence given to me by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. It is a privilege to lead the constitutional commission that enables our right to suffrage. As I have said before, given the chance and choice, I will always choose to serve in the Commission on Elections,” Garcia added.

Bacarro, who served as commander of the AFP Southern Luzon Command (Solcom), takes over Gen. Andres Centino, the last AFP chief under the Duterte administration.

“The change of command for the new AFP chief of staff will be on Aug. 8. This will give time for General Bacarro to wind down at the Solcom and provide him with the transition to his new position in Camp Aguinaldo,” Cruz-Angeles said.

Bacarro is the first AFP chief of staff to be given a fixed three-year term under Republic Act 11709 signed by Duterte on April 13 this year.

In 1991, Bacarro was awarded the Medal of Valor in the AFP for his gallantry during a 10-hour encounter with 150 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Maconacon, Isabela. His more than 30 years stint in the Army earned him many awards and distinctions.

Centino, a Philippine Military Academy classmate of Bacarro, is slated for a new post “befitting a former chief of staff,” according to Angeles.

Incoming PNP chief Azurin is a graduate of the PMA “Makatao” Class of 1989 and is the commander of the Northern Luzon Police Area.

He held star-rank positions in Camp Crame as director of the Directorate for Comptrollership as well as the Directorate for Information and Communication Technology Management. Azurin had also served as director of the Maritime Group and later as the regional director of Police Regional Office 1 in Ilocos. His date of retirement is on April 24, 2023.

As for the NBI, Cruz-Angeles said, “Director De Lemos rose from the ranks and his appointment as NBI Director is a strong indication of President Marcos’ commitment in strengthening the system of ‘meritocracy’ in the promotion, placement and hiring of government personnel.”

De Lemos, a lawyer, has been with the NBI for 37 years and is the bureau’s most senior officer, the OPS said in a statement. He was earlier designated NBI officer-in-charge by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla. The NBI is an attached agency of the Department of Justice.

Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge (OIC) Jose Faustino Jr. welcomed the appointment of Bacarro as AFP chief.

“Lieutenant General Bacarro’s appointment as Chief of Staff bodes well for the AFP as he will be given a longer period to implement reforms and institutionalizes policies that will redound to the benefit of the organization,” he said.

The PNP also vowed its full support for Azurin as its new chief. “Under Azurin’s direction, we assure the public that our police force will sustain its momentum to carry out PNP’s mission and to deliver its mandate with utmost integrity, credibility and professionalism, all for the safety and protection of our Filipino people,” a PNP statement read.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos also welcomed the appointment of Azurin, saying he has “high hopes” in Azurin’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said President Marcos should appoint with urgency a “high caliber Cabinet member” as head of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) to avoid “bill vetoing-spree.”

He added that the appointment of the PLLO chief would make sure that “months, man hours and millions spent” in crafting a bill would not go to waste.

President Marcos, has so far, vetoed five measures approved by the previous Congress, including the tax exemption of the honoraria for teachers doing poll duties. — Alexis Romero, Michael Punongbayan, Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Cecille Suerte Felipe